Hemingway and Literary Agents
Posted by Mark Shaw on June 25, 2008
Back in what is known as “the good old days,” literary agents were not a must for any aspiring author who wanted to have his or her novel or work of non-fiction published. Ernest Hemingway handled most of his own submissions through personal relationships with publishing company editors or by referral from other writers of his era who believed his books were worthy of publication. Being the ultimate “man’s man,” Hemingway forged ahead on his own, and after his first successful novel, publishing company editors were pounding at his door.
In today’s publishing world, all this has changed and most of the larger publishers won’t even take a look at an unsolicited query letter and/or book proposal. Each demands that the author be represented by a literary agent with connections to the publishing company. Locating a good, professional agent thus becomes a challenge for the aspiring author but fortunately with good planning and strategy, the task may be a pleasant one.
In How to Become A Published Author: A to Z, my book that you may download or printout free from this weblog (see above sections, etc.), I mention at least four strategies for locating a competant literary agent. They are: 1) http://www.publisherslunch.com, a daily email publication that details every deal made in the industry and includes information about the book sold, the author, the editor who bought the book, and the literary agent who sold it; 2) aar-online.com, (Association of Author’s Representatives), the professional organization that all professional agents belong to; 3) The Guide to Literary Agents, a publication that lists many agents, and 4) studying the Acknowledgment section of books with a similar genre as yours to see who represented the author. When you locate an agent of interest, check out his or her website to see what types of book they represent, guidelines for submission, etc.
A word of warning, hemingwaywantabes, be wary of any literary agent who wants to charge you for representation. Outside of their billing you for mailings, copies, etc., agents should charge a 15% fee but never any dollar amount for their services. If someone tries to do this, run the other way.
A relationship with a literary agent is a must for any aspiring author intent on a publishing career. Find one you like, find one that will fight for you and your book, and find one that will protect your interests regarding a publishing contract. You and the agent are a team, one that may enjoy a strong relationship for many years to come.
This entry was posted on June 25, 2008 at 7:14 am and is filed under Hemingway and Literary Agents. Tagged: Agents, Authors, Fiction, Hemingway, Literary Agents, Manuscripts, Non-Fiction, Novelist, Published, Publishing, Words, Writers, Writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Meander said
Hmmm…well I am published and without a literary agent. But perhaps I need one now for any future projects? I am glad to have found your site.
Mark Shaw said
Hooray for you. Terrific. Pleased to hear it. Perhaps you would like to share your experience so others may learn from you.
This said, one way literary agents to assist is to help plan an author’s career. If they are worth their salt, they know what publishers are looking for, and thus may guide a writer toward career choices that will be advantageous in the long run. If you have been traditionally published (not subsidy published – a scam if there ever was one), then agents will be barking at your door hoping that you may choose them to represent your book and the next one, etc. Remember, literary agents stay in business by selling books and they can’t sell books if they don’t have authors writing them. Agents need you, and welcome authors who are serious about their craft and the books they write.
Meander said
It was very fortunate for me really. I began writing here on the internet for support groups for parents who have children with autism. I was approached later to be in a documentary and then to contribute to a book about autism. I have always wanted to be a writer but I never actually purposefully set about to do this. Some of my other writings had been used in small publications as well. I feel almost guilty…so many people are working so hard to get published and without great intention this is what happened to me. But now…I do want to be published again. I am hungry. I do want this. I am finding out that writing is not just about writing. It most certainly is a business and I am terribly naive. So here I am trying to make sense of all of this and to learn as much as I can.
Mark Shaw said
Please don’t feel guilty, feel proud of what you have accomplished. And, if you do want to continue writing, then consider a consultation with a good literary agent who may guide your path. I would do so sooner than later since the more time that elapses between the publishing of your book and when you seek representation, the tougher it will be to excite the agent about your work.
So get busy. No time like the present to track down the right agent.